I think there’s a decent chance that the Tigers lose 6/7 again this year, but losing those on a homestand, with three of the games vs. Seattle, is inexcusable. Jim Price said it best during the game on Thursday – “They just don’t look interested.” Delmon Young was clearly interested in a few beers last night, and his resulting altercation in NYC and ugly words have landed him on the bench for tonight. Young has a history of poor decision making and clearly should not be looked to right now to right this team.

The hitting was anemic, the fielding pathetic, and the Team’s general disposition was indifferent. I really think that the Tigers hit a low point late last night after an uninspired game, the Inge release, and Young’s arrest. Yes, it’s early, but it’s hard to think that the baseball can get much worse.

And after all of that, the Tigers are 10-9, tied for first place in the AL Central. I don’t expect them to hold down first place starting tonight through the end of the season, but this goes to show that the Tigers will have to fall a long ways to be out of contention in the Central.

So with that, we open a 3 game set at Yankee Stadium. Ivan Nova is off to a nice start for the Yankees, posting a 3-0 record thus far. But JV should come in tonight and end this losing streak.

In other news:

– Doug Fister threw about 50 pitches yesterday and said that it “felt good.”

– Longman Superstar Duane Below will take Fister’s spot on Monday against KC.

– Brad Eldred up in Inge’s spot. Eldred is 31 and a journeyman who has had 3 unremarkable stints in the bigs between Colorado and Pittsburgh. He has been blasting 1 HR every 6.15 ABs in the international league so far this year. No word on whether he has any friends who can play 2B.

52 Comments

Tigers Rule

April 27, 2012 at 6:49 pm

Things will settle down, we will right the ship, and we WILL win the Central!
It’s good that all this happened at the start of the season and the team is dealing with it right away instead of letting it fester.

Coleman

April 27, 2012 at 6:50 pm

Fielder should see a lot of good pitches with Don “Longball” Kelly protecting him in the 5th spot.

Only Tiger Fan in Mississippi

April 27, 2012 at 7:08 pm

Unfortunately Kelly is one of the few Tigers that is hitting!

Mark

April 27, 2012 at 7:09 pm

ESPN is reporting that McClendon has been fired and Inge rehired as hitting coach… Just kidding.

Chris in Texas

April 27, 2012 at 7:18 pm

Boesch is a horrible # 2 hitter. No outs, guy on 2nd ahead in the count and he strikes out…Santiago would get more done in that #2 hole. Why do the Tigers love Boesch? He has acomplished nothing in his career. If you want a guy w/ some power in that 2 hole, then go with Peralta. Boesch is good for an occasional HR, other than that he sucks. He will hit into a DP, more often then move a runner.

Tigers Rule

April 27, 2012 at 7:24 pm

Just remember who is making out the line-up!

Kevin in Dallas

April 27, 2012 at 8:38 pm

+1 for the lineup positioning. I don’t think that Boesch sucks, but I think that putting him in the 2 hole makes him a worse hitter psychologically, and then in reality. Peralta should be hitting 2.

Chris in Texas

April 27, 2012 at 7:30 pm

Finally!!! Prince made a play in the field. That guy is an awful 1st baseman…anything hit in his direction gets through…That was an easy play for Cabby at 1st on A-Rodd. Again, our defense sucks and we can’t move a runner to 3rd w/ less than 2 outs or get him home. Broken Record….At some point, you need to make a change, like putting Prince and his pathetic defense at the DH position. Cabrera is the 2nd best infielder on our team, when Ramon doesn’t play and it really isn’t even close. That is scary.

Mark

April 27, 2012 at 7:33 pm

Eldred. I love this guy!

Only Tiger Fan in Mississippi

April 27, 2012 at 7:38 pm

Can’t they give Verlander some much needed runs?

Only Tiger Fan in Mississippi

April 27, 2012 at 7:44 pm

Elred hasn’t read the memo yet?

scott

April 27, 2012 at 7:48 pm

this team is absolutely pathetic with runners at 3B. it happened AGAIN…….man on 3rd with no outs…….and they don’t get him home. thanks to Ibanez for giving us a run; any gift helps right now……… 🙁

Only Tiger Fan in Mississippi

April 27, 2012 at 7:55 pm

When AJAX and Cabrera hit, the Tigers win!

Jud

April 27, 2012 at 8:13 pm

as long as the Tigs keep that runner on second they do fine…as soon as they get one to third less 2,outs they are done….so theres the answer

tom in troy

April 27, 2012 at 8:18 pm

Ajax has found a bat.

Mark

April 27, 2012 at 8:41 pm

Eldred has just matched Inge’s offensive output for the season.

Jud

April 27, 2012 at 8:41 pm

this goes back a little to Kevins intro …but….why does it look like Boesch..Cabrerra..Fielder..Prince..Avila…Peralta all look like they are bored to death and would rather be ,who knows what. Anything but playing baseball

tom in troy

April 27, 2012 at 8:48 pm

Oh boy. Is it just me or did JV and Avila look out of synch on that one?

Only Tiger Fan in Mississippi

April 27, 2012 at 8:56 pm

Jim Price thinks Verlander’s pitches are being tipped to the Yankees

Only Tiger Fan in Mississippi

April 27, 2012 at 9:01 pm

Jim Price thinks Nova is tipping his pitches to the Tigers as he is gone!

Coleman

April 27, 2012 at 9:06 pm

It’s nice to see the bats wake up, could live without the classic Tiger baserunning though.

Kevin in Dallas

April 27, 2012 at 9:18 pm

I’m looking for JV to shut them down and get us through 8.

tom in troy

April 27, 2012 at 9:26 pm

Come on, Kelly!?!?!

Coleman

April 27, 2012 at 9:27 pm

Very Delmonburn-like

Coleman

April 27, 2012 at 9:26 pm

Clown Show alert!

tom in troy

April 27, 2012 at 9:30 pm

That play looked like me in 9th grade — minus the $500k/yr contract. Yikes!

Kevin in Dallas

April 27, 2012 at 9:30 pm

Clown Show giveth, the Clown Show taketh away.

Chris in Texas

April 27, 2012 at 9:32 pm

They play defense like a bad high school team. Avila has left like 7 guys on base today…They need more runs or they will lose this game. Don Kelly, Mr. Dopped popup in the metrodome that cost us the division title that year. The guy still can’t play defense…How does DD do it? How does he find this many major league players incapable of playing defense…It seems impossible.

Jud

April 27, 2012 at 9:36 pm

hey fellows this is major leafue baseball even when you are out in the field..three left fielders on the team and they all suck

Jud

April 27, 2012 at 9:41 pm

and the funniest part of all this is Dirks who can play left field IS DH

tom in troy

April 27, 2012 at 9:47 pm

So far, Dotel has been “as advertised.” A bright spot during an otherwise dim April. Let’s hope he does not fade.

Kevin in Dallas

April 27, 2012 at 9:48 pm

That was hilarious.

Rod Allen had a great line “Don’t you hate that? Arguing with someone who won’t argue back?”

Mark

April 27, 2012 at 9:52 pm

Nice call by Leyland bringing Coke in to face Granderson. We all know how well he does against lefties.

Mark

April 27, 2012 at 9:54 pm

Granderson vs. lefties that is…

Only Tiger Fan in Mississippi

April 27, 2012 at 9:53 pm

Good pitcher mgmt this game

tom in troy

April 27, 2012 at 9:55 pm

Isn’t it time for Fielder to do what we’re paying him for — going yard?

Only Tiger Fan in Mississippi

April 27, 2012 at 10:07 pm

Tigers haven’t rolled a DP in five games

Jud

April 27, 2012 at 10:12 pm

a double play ground ball 6 inches to his right and Fielder turns it into a base hit…nice range!

Chris in Texas

April 28, 2012 at 12:34 am

Am I being overly critical of Fielder, or does he miss every ball hit in his direction? He makes Miguel Cabrera look like a gold glover at 1st

scott

April 27, 2012 at 10:40 pm

just disgusting…….do we only have relievers who refuse to throw strikes?

Brenden

April 27, 2012 at 10:42 pm

What a way to lose a game…Unbelievable…This team is just awful right now…

Mark

April 27, 2012 at 10:42 pm

Thanks for coming back to the bigs Vilarreal.

Jud

April 27, 2012 at 10:43 pm

remember the other day Smokey you brought in Weber…now you bring in Villreall …at least your consistant… blow both games…fire Villreall and Leyland….this teams is a $200 million joke…

Brenden

April 27, 2012 at 10:44 pm

Just like 2008…Spending like the Yankees and it just doesn’t work…

scott

April 27, 2012 at 10:49 pm

I don’t understand this: Dotel did fine…..why not just leave him in? at least he was throwing strikes……Leyland is way too ‘mechanical’ with this pitching change crap – he MUST bring in Benoit in the 8th and “pick a name” in the 9th no matter how anybody pitches before. and this team’s inability to hit with men in scoring position is dreadful: we could’ve and should’ve had at least 3 more runs tonight……..

tom in troy

April 27, 2012 at 11:00 pm

An ugly loss — but it’s still April.

Douglas buczak

April 27, 2012 at 11:17 pm

I guess jl has so many pitchers, he thinks he can bring in a minor leaguer and expect a miracle that never happens. He should be Long Gone to quote Harwell.

Tigers Rule

April 27, 2012 at 11:29 pm

The whole coaching staff should be replaced. They don’t understand how to play sound baseball and cost us many games every year.

Jud

April 27, 2012 at 11:50 pm

the results might have been exactly the same, but that was a very catchable pitch…watch the replay..it was right on Avilas right knee…so add that to Avilas 0~5 and 7 l.o.b

i don’t know about you guys, but i was sure the yankees were going to find a way to win this one, the moment that ball went over/through Kelly’s glove in the 6th…

Tigers finally out-hit a team, but still found a (new) way to lose… JL burns through 3 relievers in 2 innings, then throws a AAA callup into a pressure-cooker; tie game in the 9th @ yankee stadium – and slow chaos ensues, walk, wild pitch-walk and passed ball

Chris in Texas

April 28, 2012 at 12:41 am

The Tigers bullpen walks too many guys…They have already lost 3 games they led after 7..Zero last year. Benoit has been awful this year, he has 8 walks in 8 innings..That is inexcusible for an 8th inning guy…Dotel should be the 8th inning guy and Coke the 7th inning guy, until he can prove he can throw strikes. Avila was the goat in this one, he just failed at everything he did in the ballgame. Should have been an easy win…

beejeez

April 28, 2012 at 2:01 pm

Man, they ain’t a very likable bunch right now: from Delman Young’s postgame training habits, Fielder’s refusal to DH for the good of the team, Leyland’s aversion to 21st-century baseball strategy. The team must be saving a ton on laundry, because nobody’s breaking a sweat or getting his uniform dirty.

Only Tiger Fan in Mississippi A good read on the Tiger's inability to work any deals during the Winter Meetings.
http://www.freep.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2016/12/05/detroit-tigers-winter-meetings/95021824/
I have thought all was

StorminNorman$ http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2016/12/red-sox-to-acquire-chris-sale.html
DD still making the moves - Sale traded to BOS... the "good news", now DET will only have to

Tony de Florida Agree, without Miggy and JV attendance should go in the tank unless we're getting Trout from the Angels or Jake

Smoking Loon Stormin, in my opinion Detroit is a worse and less interesting team without Verlander and Cabrera, a team without a

StorminNorman$ word on the street is that Tiger fans should get used to mediocrity, unless some of the young players and

Tony de Florida I've been too busy to add my wisdom (please control your laughter) but have been trying to read the blog

StorminNorman$ i could see DD bringing him to BOS to replace Big Sloppy, but i doubt BOS would give up much

Only Tiger Fan in Mississippi V-Mart trade talk:
http://m.tigers.mlb.com/news/article/209950064/tigers-victor-martinez-drawing-interest/
As we know, while the guy can certainly hit a baseball, he isn't the fastest thing around